SERG RESEARCH
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Current research at SERG is mainly focused in the following topics:
- HCI Theory;
- Semiotic Engineering Methods to Evaluate Human-Computer Interaction;
- Semiotic Engineering Design Models and Tools;
- Explicit Metacommunication of Design Intent: Help & Explanation Systems;
- End User Development, Computational Thinking and Human Expression
through Programmable Computer Signs; - Tailoring Metacommunication for Improved Communicability and Accessibility; and
- Semiotic Accounts of Culture in HCI.
In the past, we have also done research about Computer-Mediated Communication in Group Systems and Online Communities. You can search our site and publications for content related to this topic. Nowadays, research on this topic is being carried out by Raquel Prates and her students at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (see her author's profile page at www.acm.org). For a flavor of the work we have done, we suggest the following readings:
de Souza, Nicolaci-da-Costa, da Silva and Prates (2004) Compulsory institutionalization: investigating the paradox of computer-supported informal social processes
de Souza and Preece (2004) A Framework for Analyzing and Understanding Online Communities Barbosa, Prates and de Souza (2007) Identifying Potential Social Impact of Collaborative Systems at Design Time
HCI Theory
This is the ultimate research topic at SERG, to which all other topics contribute directly or indirectly. It aims to produce, expand and refine semiotically-based theoretical accounts of human-computer interaction. For a flavor, we suggest the following reading:
The main reference for theory is: de Souza (2005) The semiotic engineering of human-computer interaction
Semiotic Engineering Methods to Evaluate Human-Computer Interaction
This is a mature research topic at SERG. It aims to develop and refine methods to assess the communicability of digital interactive artifacts. For a flavor, we suggest the following reading:
The main reference for Semiotic Engineering methods is: de Souza and Leitão (2009) Semiotic engineering methods for scientific research in HCI
Semiotic Engineering Design Models and Tools
This is a long-standing research topic at SERG. We take the interaction as conversation perspective mainly - but not exclusively - to explore and develop intelligent user interfaces whith extended communicative abilities. SERG uses MoLIC, the Modeling Language for Interaction as Conversation, as a representational basis. MoLIC has also been used to link HCI research with Software Engineering research. For a flavor, we suggest the following reading:
Explicit Metacommunication of Design Intent: Help & Explanation Systems
This is a traditional research topic at SERG. It aims to develop models, methods and techniques to represent and communicate design intent (ie. how artifacts have been designed to work and why). For a flavor, we suggest the following reading:
End User Development, Computational Thinking and Human Expression through Programmable Computer Signs
Research in End User Programming has been carried out at SERG for a number of years. Now we have added Computational Thinking to our research agenda. Broadly, this big topic aims to develop models and methods to analyze human signification processes manifested in computer programs and to inform the development of software, primarily (but not exclusively) by non-expert users. For a flavor, we suggest the following reading:
Tailoring Metacommunication for Improved Communicability and Accessibility
This is a new research topic for SERG. It aims to analyze rhetorical strategies of metacommunication and to explore principles and techniques that achieve better communicability for certain classes of users and purposes. We would like to outline the pragmatic essence of certain styles of communication in order to, among other things, promote accessibility. For a flavor, we suggest the following reading:
Semiotic Accounts of Culture in HCI
This is a new research topic for SERG. It aims to analyze the influence and role of culture in signification and metacommunication processes involved in human-computer interaction. In particular, we would like to explore and express cultural diversity in the design and use of computer artifacts. For a flavor, we suggest the following reading:
